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The full server is open source and all parameters are configurable. It is possible to keep costs low by hosting rounds infrequently.
The cost of running an Ark server is mainly driven by the onchain fee-rate. Currently, you can get a transaction onchain for a few 20 cents. If you run an Ark server that hosts a round every 24 hours this is something a hobbyist can afford.
Yes!
The current bark sdk allows developers to bring their own wallet. It is possible to board, offboard or exit directly from nearly any onchain wallet. The sdk uses psbt's which is a common signing format that most hardware wallets support.
However, securing all your offchain coins by a hardware wallet is a technical stretch and I don't see much value for it. You don't need the same level of security for a spending wallet as for the your life savings
Yes, lightning is awesome and the protocol is very decentralized.
However, we see that most end-users rely on a lightning service provider (LSP) to use it. In some way lightning is growing into a hub and spoke model. Even many hobbyists that run a lightning node for fun are buying channels from such an LSP.
This risk of geo-blocking for an Ark Server and LSP is quite similar. We need moreArk Servers. But at some point we need more LSPs
PS: All code is public and anyone can run their own Ark Server.